Cigarette advertisement signs that once hung from this fence - located across the street from the Francis School in Great Kills - have been removed, thanks to efforts made by Assemblyman Lou Tobacco.
(Staten Island Advance/Mark Stein)

State Assemblyman Lou Tobacco (R-South Shore) scored a victory last week when a BP gas station removed a row of a half-dozen cigarette advertisements facing Francis School in Great Kills.

More than two weeks ago, the assemblyman contacted the gas station's corporate headquarters and requested that the signs be removed. The signs made news at the end of November following complaints from residents and parents of children who are students at the school.

The Staten Island Montessori School is also housed in the Francis School building.

"It's the first thing the kids see when they enter the school and the last thing they see when they leave the school," said Rose Campanelli, in the Advance three weeks ago.

The mother of a Montessori student, Josie, called the cigarette ad placement "interesting."

"I never thought about that being right in the kids' faces. It's very alarming," she said. "For young impressionable kids, that sticks out, and that's troubling."

Though the woman admitted she'd never paid much attention to the signs, there's a good chance the students have.

"These signs were at eye level for young students and were located right across the street from a school," said Tobacco. "Even if the intent of the signs was not to promote underage smoking, they sent the wrong message to Staten Island's youth – the same audience that we are trying to educate about the dangers of smoking."

"I am pleased that BP worked with the community to remove the signs, and I believe this type of cooperation between businesses and the community is needed to help eradicate the deadly habit," added Tobacco.

"Assemblyman Tobacco has been a leader in the fight to reduce smoking levels on Staten Island, and I commend his efforts to remove these signs," said Jeannine Marrotta, executive director of the Staten Island Chapter of the American Cancer Society.

"I look forward to working with him in the future to help make Staten Island a healthier place to live by reducing smoking rates throughout the borough," Ms. Marrotta continued. "Together, we can promote enhanced anti-smoking legislation to protect our children from the negative effects of second-hand smoke."

While Staten Island smoking rates have dropped from 19 to 14 percent between 2009 and 2010, Assemblyman Tobacco believes now is not the time to rest on the region's success. Along with colleagues in the Assembly, he's gearing up to do more to combat smoking in New York.

"Smoking-related illnesses impact the lives of too many New Yorkers for the Legislature not to act on these bills," said Tobacco.

Several of the bills that Assemblyman Tobacco is fighting for would increase protections for young New Yorkers by requiring stores not to display tobacco products out in the open.

According to Jim Pistilli, borough organizer for the Staten Island Smoke-Free Partnership and Chair of SI Quits, tobacco advertising is the single most significant factor in influencing young people to use tobacco products.

The tobacco industry spends $1.1 million daily in New York State to market their products.

"Tougher laws and increased education are the tools we need to help more people kick their habit and keep young people from ever starting," said Tobacco, who often visits local schools as part of his "Tobacco against Tobacco" campaign.

"I am committed to increasing my efforts on both fronts throughout the 2012 legislative session," he said.